The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at Work for River Herring Habitat Restoration in the Northeast US

River herring (Alosa aestivalis, Alosa pseudoharengus) are an important component of the estuarine fish community in the Northeast United States.  Although part time residents, these planktivores are present in Atlantic coastal estuaries at multiple life stages, serving as prey for fish, mammals, and birds.  Adult river herring are anadromous and gather each spring in estuaries before migrating to spawning grounds in coastal rivers and freshwater ponds.  Historically, river herring were important for bait and human consumption, but their populations have declined severely, likely due to overharvest, obstructions to spawning grounds (e.g., dams), reduced spawning and rearing habitat quality, and predation. In the Northeast US, NOAA Fisheries has invested over 30 million dollars in 11 habitat restoration projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Seven projects from Maine to Maryland created or enhanced river herring passage at 14 obstructions via dam removal, fishway installation, culvert replacement, and bypass or rock ramp installation.  Although many projects are still under construction, completed projects demonstrated increased river herring passage in the first spawning season following construction.  Summarized here are the habitat restoration methods, project challenges, and early indications of successful river herring passage.